Alaska Democratic Senate hopeful Mary Peltola faced ridicule Thursday night after repeatedly appearing to consult notecards during a debate with Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan.
Her notes quickly became the main attraction for GOP critics in an unusually close Senate contest, as reported [1] by Fox News.
Sullivan is the incumbent, while Peltola is a former congresswoman. The race is further complicated by another candidate who shares Sullivan’s name but has a different middle initial, as Republicans work to protect their narrow Senate majority.
Sullivan delivered the sharpest jab on X after Peltola appeared to look down for several seconds at a notecard-sized paper containing bullet points. “Really, Mary? Reading off a script? You can’t cue-card your way through the Senate,” Sullivan wrote.
The moment became a flashpoint in the debate night exchanges, with Republican commentators piling onto Peltola’s apparent reliance on prepared notes.
NRSC official Joanna Rodriguez posted, “Mary, blink twice if you are okay. It seems you can’t string a sentence together without reading from the talking points your Lower 48 handlers wrote you.”
Another social media user mocked Peltola for consulting notes even while discussing personal details. “Mary Peltola can’t read her name or that she’s a grandmother without needing a cue card,” the user wrote, adding a laughing emoji.
When Peltola appeared to read from the card again, Sullivan turned to the moderators. “We weren’t supposed to get these questions beforehand, were we?” he asked.
Alaska’s News Source reporter Wil Courtney answered, “No sir,” while Alaska Public Media chief editor Lori Townsend added, “Absolutely not.” Sullivan replied, “OK,” then said, “I’m just watching my opponent.”
Peltola interjected that she was better “prepared.” Her answer did little to quiet the criticism, which continued through clips shared on X.
The Republican Party’s research arm highlighted one such clip and focused on her discussion of fishing policy. “Mary Peltola — who did not introduce a single bill to help Alaska fishermen during her first term in Congress — has to read off of a script when talking about Alaska’s fishing industry,” the party tweeted.
@MaryPeltola Hey Mary, your Lower 48 handlers are very happy you’re reading from the script they sent you! https://t.co/C0Ifk5Ndu6
— Joanna Rodriguez (@joannamrod) October 16, 2026 [3]
The debate also turned personal when Sullivan confronted Peltola about allegations that she mistreated former staffers. He cited reporting by The New York Times and claimed that 25 employees had quit while working for her.
Peltola rejected the allegations as “outright fabrications or mass exaggerations of the truth,” and argued that the election should not be about her “worst day.” The denial set off another heated exchange.
Moderators called for decorum and warned that microphones could be shut off if the candidates kept interrupting each other.
Sullivan maintained the allegations showed a pattern of behavior, while Peltola accused him of exploiting the controversy for political gain.
The candidates also faced questions about Alaska’s long-discussed liquefied natural gas pipeline.
Moderators reported that South Korea had not committed to investing in the project despite President Donald Trump’s public promotion of a potential deal.
Sullivan defended the administration’s efforts, arguing that Seoul had committed funding through a broader trade agreement. He also acknowledged that the amount of the specific investment remained under negotiation.
Peltola likewise supported the pipeline but cautioned against raising expectations without firm commitments. She said Alaska should not be “promoting falsehoods that just have no substance.”
Both candidates emphasized the project’s economic potential, though the exchange exposed uncertainty about whether promised foreign investment would materialize. The pipeline debate added another major issue to an already combative night.
Peltola previously became the first Democrat in decades to represent Alaska in the House after the death of Republican Rep. Don Young. Her Senate campaign now carries statewide and national repercussions.
The Cook Political Report rates the contest a toss-up, making Alaska one of several battlegrounds that could determine which party controls the chamber in January.
The state was carried by Trump in 2024, and Sullivan’s seat has emerged as a major Democratic pickup opportunity.
Fox News Digital reached out to Peltola’s campaign for comment.